


Pumpkin Carving

by soulofevil



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Halloween Challenge, pumpkin guts are gross
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 21:38:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12566760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofevil/pseuds/soulofevil
Summary: Robbie isn't a stranger to getting his hands dirty but pumpkin guts are seriously the worst.Written for the QuakeRider Halloween Challenge 2017





	Pumpkin Carving

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @DreamingofStardust for the fall headcanon that put this idea in my head and @Fierysky for being so awesome and encouraging while I was writing this

When he was younger, Robbie had loved Halloween like any kid did. His costumes had always been homemade things but that had never affected the amount of candy he had walked away with. But once he had gone from being able to trick or treat himself to just chaperoning Gabe and his friends, Robbie had lost interest. And nowadays it was a night he took off from the vigilante work so he could make sure some little punk didn't toilet paper the house or egg his car.

He was under the hood of said car, doing his weekly routine of tweaks and maintenance when Daisy rolled up in her van. He finished what he had been working on as he listened to the van’s door slam shut and the crunch of gravel under Daisy’s feet as she walked up. 

“Whatcha working on?” She came to a stop next to him, looking at the car before looking up at him. “More importantly, are you almost done?” Robbie grabbed the rag he had nearby, wiping as much of the grease and grime off his hands before looking over at Daisy and letting out a snort. Apparently, the tacky Christmas sweater was now a thing for Halloween if the bright orange monstrosity covered in ghosts, bats, and pumpkins Daisy was wearing was anything to go by.

Robbie dropped the hood of the car to answer Daisy’s question before gathering up all his tools. Daisy suddenly looked far too excited and for a moment Robbie wondered if he shouldn’t continue to be busy. “So you’re done, right? And you already said you weren’t doing anything tonight, right?” She hovered around him, opening the front door to the house for him. Robbie didn’t answer as he headed for the kitchen to wash his hands off and Daisy took his silence as confirmation that she was right. 

“Roobbbiiie.” She drew his name out in a singsongy voice as he turned off the water and dried his hands. Robbie already knew he was going to say yes to whatever Daisy wanted but he took his time before turning around to face her. “Let's carve a pumpkin!” She looked so excited about that that Robbie couldn’t help but chuckle before leaning forward to brush his lips across her forehead in a quick kiss. “Fine, if that's how you want to spend the afternoon, we can carve a pumpkin.” Daisy’s smile made the ensuing mess that Robbie knew he would be cleaning up worth it. “Let me grab a quick shower then I’ll go get us a pumpkin.” 

Robbie didn’t miss the way Daisy bit her lower lip at the word ‘shower’ before she shook her head. “I might have already picked up some pumpkins. Three of them actually, you know in case Gabe wanted to join in too.” It was those little gestures that made Robbie love this girl even more than he already did and he gave Daisy a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth as he walked past her. “Gabe’s in his room studying or doing whatever if you want to ask him. Just give me twenty minutes to clean up.” 

By the time Robbie got out of the bathroom, the kitchen table had been cleared off and three pumpkins sat on top of it. Daisy and Gabe sat in front of the larger two and quickly looked busy as Robbie came in. Gabe managed to feign innocence better than Daisy did as Robbie looked the pair over before his eyes shifted to the smaller, oddly shaped pumpkin that had been left for him. “I’m not even going to ask what the two of you are up to.” Robbie continued to eye them both suspiciously as he took his seat.

While Robbie picked up the knife on the table and stabbed it into the top of his pumpkin, Gabe drew on the front of his pumpkin while Daisy periodically leaned in to whisper to Gabe. Both were sneaking peeks at him though, and while Robbie ignored it the first few times once he had sawed a hole in the top of his pumpkin he let out an exasperated sigh. “Why do you two keep looking at me like that?” Gabe looked ready to answer but Daisy cut him off. “Nu-uh, you said you wouldn't ask so now you’ll just have to wait.” The stare down between Robbie and Daisy was a short but intense one, a battle of stubborn wills that ended when Robbie stood up from the table and shoved his hand into his pumpkin.

Being elbow deep in blood and guts was a nightly occurrence yet Robbie couldn't help the look of revulsion that rose to his face as he pulled out the first handful of orange pumpkin guts. Sticky and stringy, they stuck to his hand even as he tried to fling them off into the trash. A burst of laughter from Daisy only made Robbie shake his hand even harder, finally getting most of the gunk off before he reached back into the pumpkin to pull out another handful. Daisy only laughed harder at the expression he must have had on his face. “Oh my god, I have never seen you look so grossed out and I saw you pull out a guy’s _spine_.” Gabe muttered an ‘I told you so’ before doing a double take and looked at Robbie. “Wait, you did _what_?”

Robbie looked between the both of them, growing flustered with them. His eyes finally settled on Daisy, pointing a messy finger at her. “This is different and you know it.” He flicked a string of orange guts at Daisy before going back to his pumpkin. “And we’re still at the table so the rule about no night job talk still applies.” Robbie tried hard to keep the annoyed look on his face as he pulled more seeds and guts from the pumpkin, drawing only a snicker from Daisy this time rather than a full-blown laugh. “Shut up, it's gross. It just sticks to your hands and that texture is awful; slimy and stringy and it just doesn’t want to come off.” 

With the smallest of the three pumpkins, Robbie at least finished cleaning scraping his out quickly. Gabe was still working on drawing out whatever he planned on carving into the face of the pumpkin, periodically turning it towards Daisy for her approval. Robbie ignored them as he picked up a smaller knife and freestyled a simple face onto his pumpkin. Triangle eyes and nose, a gap-toothed grin, he’d leave the elaborate and detailed carving to the other two.

And while they worked, Robbie found excuses to clean up in the kitchen and watch the two people he loved the most. He didn't get into the holiday spirit nearly as much as they did but listening to Daisy and Gabe tease each other and laugh was enough to keep a smile resting comfortably on Robbie’s face for once. The blissfully normal moments were the ones Robbie treasured the most, the ones he would stockpile for those days/weeks/months when he was just the passenger. 

Even seeing that Gabe had carved the Ghost Rider into his pumpkin only got a groan out of Robbie rather than irritation. The fact that it was a good carving didn’t hurt either but Gabe had always been something of a perfectionist. And once Robbie got over the juxtaposition of seeing innocent children dressed as the devil that dwelled in his skin, the mini Ghost Riders that came to the door were some of his favorites. Daisy slipped each one a little extra candy for picking the neighborhood hero instead of an Avenger to go as for Halloween.

The kids ran out before the candy did and Daisy grabbed the bowl and Robbie's arm on her way to the couch. She left enough space for Robbie to sit down before using his lap as her pillow and stretching out over rest. Robbie was content to let Daisy flip from one horror flick on TV to another, running his fingers through her hair as they mocked cheesy costumes and cheap special effects late into the night. Maybe this hadn't been the most exciting of Halloweens, but damn, it was nice to spend a day where pumpkin guts were the worst he had to deal with.


End file.
